Public Health: Kern residents diagnosed with rare mosquito illnesses

Public Health: Kern residents diagnosed with rare mosquito illnesses

One Kern County resident has been diagnosed with yellow fever, and dengue fever has been confirmed in a separate person, the Kern County Department of Public Health said Friday. Neither person contracted their disease in Kern County.

Two rare mosquito-borne illnesses have been diagnosed in Kern County, and an infected mosquito has been located, the Kern County Department of Public Health said Friday.

One Kern resident has yellow fever and another has dengue fever, Spokesperson Kim Rodriguez said, but both contracted the diseases outside Kern County.

However, she said, a mosquito carrying yellow fever has been found in Kern County by the Kern County Vector Mosquito Control District.

This mosquito is not native to California. According to Kern County Public Health it is known to carry diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya.

The discovery of that mosquito means there is a risk area residents could contract those diseases locally.

Kern County Public Health describes the yellow fever mosquito as small, dark with white markings. The county said it is often active at dawn and dusk and often bites during the day and indoors.

KGET reporter Katey Rusch is researching the discoveries and will have a full report on 17 News @ 5 and 6 p.m.

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